Fitness: Workouts for swimsuit season

Wednesday

Mar 14, 2012 at 12:01 AMMar 15, 2012 at 4:06 PM

Oh la la, sexy swimsuit season is near. If this fact puts more anxiety than excitement in your gut, perhaps it's time to work on tightening said gut. Here are some cool workouts offered around town to get you feeling great and ready to show some skin. Unleash the Speedo demons!

Jackie Mantey, Columbus Alive

Oh la la, sexy swimsuit season is near. If this fact puts more anxiety than excitement in your gut, perhaps it's time to work on tightening said gut. Here are some cool workouts offered around town to get you feeling great and ready to show some skin. Unleash the Speedo demons!

Workout: The Mixer

Where: Burn Studios, 153 Mill St., Gahanna, feelitburn.com

When: Multiple times every day except Saturday

What it is: 30 minutes indoor cycling followed by 40 minutes of Vinyasa yoga

Why it's awesome: "It is the best of both worlds," said instructor Stephanie Rosenblum. Spinning is a low-impact cardiovascular workout and calorie burner, while the yoga creates long and lean muscles and burns fat.

Workout: Minute Mayhem

Where: Urban Active, multiple locations, urbanactive.com

When: Varies by location

What it is: Moves - such as jumping jacks, running, squats and triceps extensions with calf raises - are done for one minute in varying successive segments.

Why it's awesome: It's a 45-minute full-body workout that promises to burn three times more calories than running on a treadmill. "Believe me, you don't want it to be an hour," said Wendy Jett, corporate group fitness director. "It is very intense."

What it is: Hula-Hoop-trick coaching, improvisation and choreographed routines. The class covers basic core hooping and off-body moves. Beginners use a heavier, larger hoop so it's easier to feel the rotations, while more advanced members use smaller hoops to perform tricks at a faster rate.

Why it's awesome: "The Hula-Hoop opens your mind, body and spirit to endless possibilities of fun and creative fitness," said instructor and hooping extraordinaire Lindsay Nova. Bonus: This workout can burn 300 to 600 calories per hour while working the core, arms and legs.